Dear readers, hello! :)

I hope you're still here and not too bored.

I want to finish this story in 2-3 chapters, I'm already thinking about a new one (as always).

Now I'm trying to remember what I myself like to read about in our characters' relationship and I realize that I like the passages with jealous Rhett, with their complicated relationship, but, I also like to read about their life together, what we were deprived of in the novel. So, please bear with me and my few fluffy chapters without major shocks :)

Thanks for reading, reviewing and sharing your thoughts!

Enjoy reading!:)

I own nothing in regard to GWTW.

Chapter 23.

That evening, Rhett and Scarlett stood in front of the Wilkes' house with Wade. Having spent the whole day, first in the shop, and then in packing and giving orders to the servants, Scarlett had no time to think about the dinner to come. She was glad that Rhett had taken the news calmly, that they had reconciled (her cheeks blushed at the memory of their reconciliation), and hoped that he would have the common sense of a grown man and not make antics and jokes at dinner. Scarlett had forgotten that men were like big children.

It all started with Rhett wanting very much to be involved in choosing the dress for the dinner and to Scarlett's surprised look and her phrase that "it's a quiet family dinner, Rhett," only said he wanted to "show everyone his lovely beautiful wife."

The dress had been chosen anyway, the dark green velvet with golden laces looked dignified, though the neckline seemed revealing. Now that she wasn't interested in Ashley, and Rhett could see her in her seductive outfits in their bedroom (or more often without them), she didn't want to draw too much attention to herself. She missed Savannah and her favourite light, corsetless dresses. They made her feel so young and free.

Standing in front of the familiar door, Scarlett caught herself again at the memory of Rhett leaving her then, in April and she alone walking into a living room full of all those hypocritical people. She inwardly shuddered and rejoiced that they were moving, that she would be able to visit her relatives in Savannah more often, that few people knew them at all in that town.

But today she felt the strong arm of her husband, who held her firmly, yet gently, around the waist, smiled casually and just seemed happy.

A smiling Melanie opened the door, and after greetings and warm hugs, they went into the parlour, where Ashley, Uncle Henry and Aunt Pitty were waiting for them.

As the men sat down in a separate corner in the living room and sipped whiskey before dinner, Scarlett whispered to Melanie about India, while Aunt Pitty was distracted.

"Melly, why don't you host her at your house again? Especially since we're leaving, she's Ashley's sister..." asked Scarlett. She was angry at India for making that mess, but on the other hand, all these events, however bitter, had given her and Rhett a chance.

Melly glared fiercely at her sister-in-law and said in a loud whisper, "Not a chance in hell, Honey! Scarlett, your leaving doesn't change anything for me! She has slandered you, hurt you, and, I daresay, may have affected your relationship with Captain Butler. She's a terrible woman, jealous, I can't stand her behaviour, so no, Scarlett, nothing changes for me," Melanie finished and Scarlett just nodded, surprised once again at the strong support Melanie had created for her. Yes, she was always behind her, but she knew she was always for her.

"I'm really going to miss you, Melly," Scarlett suddenly said softly and kissed her affectionately on the cheek.

Melanie reached for her handkerchief and began to wipe her eyes, saying, "Scarlett, look at you, you've brought me to tears, and look at poor Aunt Pitty, she's about to faint from the worries," Melly said with a slight smile.

Scarlett smiled, adjusting the creases in her dress and suddenly felt a warm palm on her shoulder. Her reaction to his touch was always the first, she felt goosebumps down her spine, then her breathing hitched a little and with a blush on her cheeks, she turned around and looked up at her husband, who was standing behind her chair.

Melanie apologized and went to see if dinner was served, Miss Pitty went with her to help, but Scarlett suspected that her aunt was always nervous when Rhett was around, so she decided not to stay. Scarlett smirked and felt Rhett sit down next to her in a nearby chair, then reached for her and she felt his hot breath on her neck and whispered, "You're so beautiful, Sweetheart... I've been watching you from afar. Scarlett, when this dinner is over, I want to go home so badly... I want you..." he finished his speech and smiled predatorily when he saw her blushing cheeks.

"Rhett, stop that right now," she hissed at him, "it's not appropriate to have this kind of conversation here!"

"No one can hear us, Love..."

"Rhett..."

He only leaned back in his chair, and then reached out and took her palm in his, then intertwined his fingers with hers. Scarlett remembered the sensation immediately, for some reason the gesture seemed very intimate and exciting to her.

"Rhett," Scarlett started whispering again, trying to gently remove her hand, "stop this right now!"

Rhett smiled and told her in a quietly joking tone, "I just took my wife's hand," and then suddenly added sarcastically, "And I don't care even if anyone turns green with envy right now, Scarlett!"

Scarlett looked up at him sharply and realized that Rhett was furtively looking over her shoulder where Uncle Henry was speaking to Ashley. Carefully turning her head as if searching Melanie's eyes, Scarlett managed to catch Ashley's nervous gaze, which he quickly looked away and stared at the fire in the fireplace.

Scarlett shifted her gaze to Rhett, but he only smiled at her again with a predatory smile.

Scarlett had a sudden headache, and at other times she would have been pleased with Ashley's attention, but not now, when it was unimportant. She was hurt, embarrassed, and just wanted to have dinner with the people she considered family. So she stood up quickly without a word to Rhett and went into the kitchen to look for Melanie.

Melanie, noticing her, only apologized for the delay in dinner and said it would be ready in a couple of minutes. Scarlett nodded and went to the window in the dining room. Suddenly resentment was replaced by slight anger. "Well really, that man is an obnoxious varmint! It's been so many years and he doesn't change! I told him to behave good! All right, Rhett Butler, let's play a little game!"

Scarlett chuckled, glanced at herself in the mirror, fixed her hair, and walked into the living room, past the maid finishing serving. Without noticing Rhett's gaze, who had to keep Uncle Henry company, she headed straight for Ashley and the boys, who were showing him something in a notebook.

As she leaned over the notebook with Ashley and the children discussing their drawing, Scarlett felt her back get hot in her velvet dress and she knew it wasn't from the fireplace.

After Wade and Beau ran off to the nursery, Scarlett continued to make polite conversation with Ashley. He asked about the move, about her shop in Atlanta.

He even tried to make a joke, as always not quite good enough, but Scarlett laughed politely and quietly to back him up. She stood with her back to the parlour, but, God, her back was burning from HIS gaze. Yes, that was a game two could play!

"Honey," a smiling Melanie walked over to them and lightly hugged her sister-in-law around the waist and turning to her and Ashley continued, "it's good to see you're not bored, because the main dish took so long to cook, even though I told the cook to start making it early... Ah...Never mind, please come to the table," she said with a smile and touched her husband's shoulder, said "Darling, please get the boys to join us, they're in the nursery."

Ashley nodded and, smiling at both ladies, headed upstairs. He was cheerful, he knew from their interaction with Scarlett that she wasn't angry or resentful of him because of all the events of the spring. He had acted like a coward and berated himself for not standing up for them, for not justifying them publicly. But Melly had fervently forbidden him to do so, saying that "only the guilty are excused, but you are guilty of nothing!" Now he was happy that his childhood friend was talking to him again and generally seemed happy, albeit with her self-righteous and insolent husband. Ashley couldn't understand or accept Rhett Butler, no matter how well Melanie spoke of him. "Scarlett deserves better," he thought as he walked up the stairs.

Melanie took her sister-in-law's hand and announced loudly that it was time to go to the table, and Scarlett turned her head just then to see those black eyes burning into her. Rhett was smiling, but his smile was not kind, but rather dangerous.

"I hope we don't have to fight," she thought nervously, already regretting the whole thing.

Nevertheless, she walked over to her husband, smiling, and held out her hand for him to walk to the table.

Rhett took her hand and, letting the others pass, held it at the door for a moment. As casually as if by accident, he pushed the door forward with his foot, and then he led Scarlett to the wall, wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, and whispered hotly, leaning in close to her lips, "What are you up to, Scarlett? Are you trying to drive me crazy with your behaviour, Darling?"

He quickly reached for the corner of her lips, touched with his lips, and then she felt his kisses on her neck. Barely taking a breath from his hot embrace and her arousal, she only whispered, "Stop it now Rhett! We were just talking to him..."

Rhett pulled away from her neck and looked predatorily into her eyes, "That was on purpose, wasn't it Scarlett? Admit it..." and he pulled her even tighter against him.

"Yes," she tried to speak as her breathing evened out, "you acted like a hunter who had shot a fox and now is showing off his fur collar! I'm not a thing or a trophy, Rhett Butler!" she whispered belligerently to him, climbing out of his embrace. "And let go of me, you rascal, we're all expected!" she finished, trying to get past him.

Rhett smiled again, then whispered to her, "You're not a trophy, Scarlett, but you're just mine... My wife! And I want everyone to know that..."

"Everyone already knows that, Rhett Butler!" she said a little louder, and then, lowering her voice she whispered, "or have you forgotten what my last name is? Come to the table, I'm hungry! And behave yourself good!"

With those words, she turned and quickly left the room, and Rhett followed her, smiling slightly. He definitely wanted to annoy her some more, to play with her.

But the dinner was remarkably quiet, apart from Aunt Pitty's lamentations about their imminent departure. When they were all gathered in the parlour by the fireplace, drinking coffee and smoking, Rhett nodded politely to one of Melly's phraces about children and replied with a pirate's smile, "Yes, Scarlett and I were very involved in our children's lives too, especially in Savannah, where there were hardly any servants," he grinned and added, "Sometimes, just to be alone, we'd get up early and drink coffee in the quiet of the morning. We still like to do that now..." at the end of that sentence, Rhett reached out and took Scarlett's hand, who was already sitting up red from his words and her memories, and he intertwined his fingers with hers again.

Ashley watched them closely, Uncle Henry ignored such talk, Melanie smiled, and Aunt Pitty nodded her head and waving her fan, said with an understanding smile, "Oh, yes, Captain Butler! How I understand you! What could be better than a cup of coffee drunk in peace and quiet! Yes, I like to do that too..."

Scarlett didn't know where to put herself anymore from the embarrassment and giggles that were bursting out of her. So simply standing up, she asked Melanie to show her her latest embroidery that she had done in the embroidery circle. Melanie looked at her sister-in-law in surprise, knowing that she wasn't usually interested in such things, but thinking that people change their tastes, smiled affectionately and taking her hand, they went into the other room. Scarlett flashed her eyes at Rhett as she left, and he could barely read her lips, "Fool!"

That same night, in their bedroom, impatiently unfastening her corset and undoing the buttons of his shirt, they exchanged short scraps of phrases, between kisses.

"God, Scarlett... Don't you ever come within ten feet of that man again..." spoke Rhett, burning her with his breath.

"You acted like a cocky turkey!" she whispered to him heatedly, as he continued to untie her corset, and she ran her nails down his back, under his shirt, leaving barely visible streaks on his swarthy skin.

He only smirked, finally coping with the corset, he tossed it aside and with just a couple of steps he pinned her against the door of their dressing room, not far from where he was undressing her.

"You'll answer for those words, Darling," she heard him whisper hotly again as he pulled the rest of her clothes off.

Scarlett only had time to whisper to him, "You're a fool, Rhett Butler," and then she remembered little else but his fiery touch...

And a few days later, when the week was over and Scarlett had finally sorted out her things and Rhett his, they gave their last orders, took Mammy with them (Prissy was waiting for them in Savannah with a couple of other servants), and set out on their journey, first to Charleston and then to their new home.

Mammy expressed her displeasure at Scarlett's going to the 'wrong town', but she realized that the town that had been a curse to her former mistress Miss Ellen was a blessing to her daughter. She'd seen the change in her hosts' relationship, of course she'd noticed that Mr Rhett had moved back into their shared bedroom and something told her that the story of the mess in the kitchen wasn't a simple one. Anyway, she decided to support Scarlett, at least to live with them temporarily, "to help put things right", as she burst out and added, "to check that the little misses remembered their manners and hadn't turned into savages after living on the beach!"

"Mummy, Mummy!" she heard her youngest daughter's voice as soon as they opened the door and entered the house, letting in the cool December air.

No sooner had Scarlett taken off her gloves than Bonnie was already beside her and she had to crouch down and hug her daughter tightly, breathing in such a familiar scent and kissing the soft curls.

"Daddy, Daddy's here!" exclaimed Ella and ran to hug Rhett, who smiled as always and mentally thanked the heavens for this golden-haired girl who loved him and allowed him to be her father.

While in Atlanta, he had managed to prepare all the paperwork for Ella's adoption and only a couple of formalities remained.

Mrs Butler smiled affectionately and hugged an embarrassed Wade, who was really enjoying this trip without his sisters. After that incident in the corridor, he had never seen his parents fight and his childish heart was soothed.

While the children were hugging their parents, and Mammy was meeting Mrs Butler and shaking her head at the sight of "little misses bouncing like little goats round their parents," Ross came down and greeted his brother and sister-in-law warmly.

He quickly broke the news to them that his mother had met Kathleen and her father, that his nieces had also accompanied them and charmed them all, and that he was in a hurry now but they could talk later.

The children had already run upstairs to show Mammy their rooms and tell her all about it, and Mrs Butler sat in the living room with her daughter-in-law and son, asking them questions about the trip, urging them to stay for Christmas, which was coming in three weeks, and then to go to Savannah. Rhett and Scarlett were pondering.

Scarlett missed Gladys very much, and had received letters from her, telling her that she had visited their house and that everything was ready for their arrival, "only the owners were missing," and that she knew too much about James and Lizzy, which surprised Scarlett. James also wrote her short letters, he was corresponding with Rhett, but she knew that they were to be at his parents' for Christmas and Scarlett didn't want to miss the opportunity to see them, but she didn't feel comfortable leaving Mrs Butler alone, Rosemary was still in Europe and she wanted to meet Kathleen too. Rhett had his own thoughts and the question hung in the air.